We went away last weekend. When I got home, I walked in to the coop, picked her up, and put the 8 eggs she was sitting on in the fridge without thinking, or realizing that she was sitting because she was broody. Now today, she's sitting on 1 egg. If I sneak other eggs under her for the next 3 or so days, will that make the hatch dates too far apart?
Snow White's broody... question
You really don't want the hatch dates more than about 2 days apart. When the chicks get a day or two old they are ready to get up and move, the momma hen will either stay on the eggs or get up and abandon them. If she stays on the eggs then she will not be feeding her babies and she will be trying to keep them under her to keep them safe.
Smedge is so right on, I wouldn't want them more than one day apart cause that puts the hen in a stressful decision and someone has to loose. The hen almost always stays with the new born rather than the eggs. If they are two far apart and two hatch and leave the nest, and there are six eggs left to hatch, you'll loose the six for the sake of the two. Not a good choice to have to make. Hay.
Also, even if you take the newly hatched chicks away in hopes that she will remain with the eggs, she may have shifted into Mommy Mode and abandon the eggs anyway...:0(
thanks everyone, I'll add whatever I can today and that will be enough :-)